Plans revealed for Lostock Hall school to be demolished and rebuilt

A screening document -giving key information before a full planning application - has been submitted to South Ribble Borough Council for work at Applebee Wood Community Specialist School in Lostock Hall.

The school currently has 168 pupils on roll ranging in age from four to 16, with 42 car parking spaces. The building itself is single-storey.

The proposals are to completely demolish the existing school buildings and for a “comprehensive redevelopment of the site to provide a new school”, to be completed by June 2026. The new school building will be located in the middle of the site, will be a two-storey building with a flat roof, and will employ up to 77 full time members of staff, The capacity for pupils will not alter.

Solar panels will be located on the roof of the new building and the grass sports pitch currently located in the western section site will be relocated to the east. New hedges and trees will be introduced at the site boundary and an orchard is proposed to the north of the new school building, which will consist of apple and pear trees.

The plans are also to extend the Forest School area and build a replacement Horticulture Area including raised beds, polytunnel and sheds.

Improvements to the parking area will comprise of new cycle storage facility for bicycles, 57 car parking bays plus five accessible bays, four minibus parking bays;, seven drop off bays and a drop-off/delivery area immediately to the south of the school building.

What happens during construction?

A statement provided to the council says: “It is anticipated the new school would be completed by June 2026. The school would remain operational during construction works. Pupils and staff would not relocate to the new school building until it is completed. Once staff and pupils relocate to the new school building, demolition would commence on the old school building and take approximately four to six months to complete landscaping works post demolition.

“As staff and pupils would remain on-site during demolition and construction works, this would make them sensitive receptors to effects such as noise, dust and air quality impacts. Therefore, it is important that a set of mitigation measures are set out and adhered to during demolition and construction works.”